No use sweating Splitter’s minutes

Tiago Splitter played 15:11 in the second half of the Spurs’ blowout victory over Dallas on Friday, at least offering fans at the AT&T Center one reminder.

Yes, Brazilians do have sweat glands.

It was the busiest night in more than two weeks for Splitter, whose rookie season has been hallmarked by the games he hasn’t played moreso than the games he has. In the six games prior to Friday, for example, Splitter had totaled 4:44 of playing time, and taken four DNPs.

Certainly, it hasn’t been the type of season most expected from the Splitter, the 7-foot center the Spurs wooed for three years before signing him last summer. The best big man in Europe while playing professionally in Spain, Splitter arrived in San Antonio billed as a plug-and-play rookie ready to make an immediate impact in the Spurs’ front court.

So why has Splitter played in just 29 of 40 games this season, averaging 11:18 per? The simplest, shortest answer is this: He is not one of the Spurs’ top five big men right now.

Tim Duncan, DeJuan Blair, Antonio McDyess and Matt Bonner are all ahead of Splitter in line for minutes right now, and the allotment of available time grows shorter on nights coach Gregg Popovich elects to go small.

Typically, having too much depth on the frontline would be fall under the heading of “good problem to have.” For Spurs fans, who have waited — often impatiently — for Splitter since the Spurs made him the 28th overall pick in the 2007 draft, it is cause for consternation.

“I’m sure that he’s frustrated and would love to be on the court,” Popovich acknowledged. “At the same time he’s been a total team positive, working hard to be ready if called upon. He’s conducted himself in a totally professional manner.”

Indeed, Splitter has said often this season he understands the need to wait his turn. In many ways, his indoctrination into the Spurs Way mirrors that of Fabricio Oberto, who played in only 59 minutes and averaged 8:18 per in 2005-06, his rookie season.

The following season he was a part-time starter on a championship squad.

So what’s holding Splitter back?

Missing all of training camp and the preseason with a calf injury didn’t help. That’s when Popovich puts in the majority of his offense and defense. Once the regular season starts, and practice days get fewer and farther between, it becomes harder and harder to catch up.

Meanwhile, the Spurs are off to the best start in franchise history, 34-6, which doesn’t exactly lend itself to tinkering with rotations. If ain’t broke, don’t fix it is how the saying goes.

For now, Splitter will continue to earn his minutes situationally — in blowouts, on second nights of back-to-backs, as an insurance policy in case of injury. With Bonner ruled out for Sunday’s game in Denver, perhaps Splitter gets an earlier call.

The bigger Splitter question is this: With 42 games remaining in the regular season, does he still have time to solidify himself as part of Popovich’s playoff rotation?